Field of the Invention
[0001] This invention concerns a transesterification process, particularly for making dihydromyrcenol
(DHMOL) or myrcenol.
Background to the Invention
[0002] Dihydromyrcenol is a well known fragrance material, which is used increasingly in
the fragrance industry. Based on a turpentine feedstock, DHMOL can be made by the
hydration of dihydromyrcene (citronellene), and this is currently done commercially
using large quantities of strong aqueous sulphuric acid. This reaction converts the
dihydromyrcene to DHMOL and also produces dilute sulphuric acid as a by product stream.
Disposal of the waste dilute sulphuric acid in an economical and/or environmentally
acceptable way can present difficulties.
[0003] A possible alternative approach to production of DHMOL is hydration of dihydromyrcene
using alternative catalysts of acid clays, zeolites etc, and many attempts at such
processes have been reported in the literature. The processes have, however, been
found to be low yielding because of mixing/phase transfer/reactivity difficulties
and are not cost effective.
[0004] The present invention provides an alternative approach to the production of dihydromyrcenol
or the related material myrcenol. For brevity the term "(dihydro)myrcenol" will be
used to refer to dihydromyrcenol or myrcenol. Similarly, the term "(dihydro)myrcene"
will be used to refer to dihydromyrcene or myrcene.
Summary of the Invention
[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a process for
preparing (dihydro)myrcenol from a (dihydro)myrcenyl ester by reacting this ester
in a transesterification reaction with an alcohol to produce (dihydro)myrcenol. The
(dihydro)myrcenyl ester may in turn be produced by reacting (dihydro)myrcene with
a carboxylic acid.
[0006] The carboxylic acid used for producing the (dihydro)myrcenyl ester is not critical.
Good results have been obtained using acetic acid, but other acids such as propionic
acid, butyric acid, isobutyric acid etc. may alternatively be used.
[0007] The (dihydro)myrcenyl ester producing reaction can be effected in the presence of
any suitable catalyst, but preferably a solid catalyst such as an ion-exchange material
is used. Sulphonic acid cross linked polystyrene ion-exchange resins are well suited
to this purpose. Good results have been obtained with the hydrogen ion-exchange resin
Purolite CT 169 (Purolite is a Trade Mark).
[0008] The ester-producing reaction can be carried out at a range of temperatures, but preferably
as low as possible while maintaining a liquid phase (eg 15-20°C), as this is found
to give good selectivity of reaction. Conversion in the system is generally low and
the materials are preferably passed through a fractionating column, with the ester
product being collected as a non-volatile from the evaporator/re-boiler, and the remaining
non-reacted materials being recycled to the catalyst in a continuous process.
[0009] In the transesterifiction reaction an alcohol and the (dihydro)myrcenyl ester react
together in an equilibrium reaction, resulting in production of the desired (dihydro)myrcenol
and the ester derived from the starting alcohol (product ester). The (dihydro)myrcenyl
ester is preferably the acetate.
[0010] The transesterification reaction is preferably carried out in the presence of a suitable
catalyst. Alkoxides, such as sodium methoxide, work well. Other possible catalysts
include butyl titanates, isopropyl titanates and others known to those skilled in
the art.
[0011] Either the (dihydro)myrcenol or the product ester preferably has the lowest boiling
point of all materials taking part in the reaction in which case it can be readily
collected by being distilled off. This has the beneficial effect of driving the equilibrium
of the transesterification reaction in the desired direction. Also, the boiling points
of the (dihydro)myrcenol and the product ester preferably are sufficiently apart from
each other, and from those of the starting (dihydro)myrcenyl ester and the starting
alcohol, to enable the reaction products to be separated from each other and from
the starting materials by distillation. Thus, the differences in boiling point should
be at least 2°C at the distillation pressure used, preferably at least 5°C. Furthermore,
the starting alcohol and the product ester should not decompose at the reaction temperature
chosen. The temperature for the transesterification reaction is preferably chosen
below 300°C, more preferably below 250°C, even more preferably below 180°C, most preferably
at or below 150°C. The distillation of the reaction products is preferably, but not
necessarily, carried out from the same vessel in which the transesterification reaction
takes place. The distillation is preferably carried out under reduced pressure.
[0012] Very suitable alcohols for this purpose are tertiary-butylcyclohexanols, particularly
4-tertiary-butylcyclohexanol (PTBCH) and 2-tertiary-butylcyclohexanol.
[0013] In a preferred embodiment reaction of dihydromyrcenyl acetate (DHMAc) with PTBCH
produces DHMOL and 4-tertiary-butylcyclohexyl acetate (PTBCHA).
[0014] PTBCHA is itself a useful material, that is usually prepared from the corresponding
alcohol PTBCH by reaction with acetic acid, acid chloride or acetic acid anhydride
in a process that also results in production of aqueous effluent (eg. acetic acid
waste) that could present environmental and cost issues in disposal/recycle. In contrast,
the present invention can produce two useful materials, eg. DHMOL and PTBCHA, in a
way that does not also produce undesirable or difficult to dispose of waste products.
[0015] The present invention provides a much more efficient route for production of DHMOL
and PTBCHA than the present processes for producing these materials. Comparing these
routes by the "atom utilisation" approach of Sheldon (Roger A Sheldon, Industrial
Environmental Chemistry, pp 99-119 Ed. D.T. Sawyer and A.E. Martell, and Roger A Sheldon,
Chem & Ind 1992, pp 903-906), the process of the present invention has a theoretical
atom utilisation approaching 100% while the current process for DHMOL production has
a theoretical atom utilisation in the range 40 to 60% and the current process for
PTBCHA production has a theoretical atom utilisation in the range 60 to 80%. The process
of the invention is thus chemically efficient, and is also efficient in processing
terms. For example, no costly wash stages are required.
[0016] The process of the invention also has the advantage that DHMOL can be produced without
also producing waste dilute sulphuric acid, and PTBCHA can be produced without also
producing aqueous effluent for disposal, in contrast to the typical procedures for
producing these materials.
[0017] The present invention also includes within its scope (dihydro)myrcenol produced by
the process of the invention, and PTBCHA produced in preferred embodiments of the
invention.
[0018] Production of DHMOL and PTBCHA from dihydromyrcene (DHM) and PTBCH, will now be described
by way of illustration in the following Example and by reference to the accompanying
Figures, in which:
- Figure 1 shows the reaction of DHM with acetic acid to produce dihydromyrcenyl acetate
(DHMAc);
- Figure 2 shows the transesterification reaction of DHMAc with PTBCH in the presence
of sodium methoxide catalyst to produce DHMOL and PTBCHA; and
- Figure 3 shows laboratory scale equipment for reaction of DHM with acetic acid to
produce DHMAc.
Example
1. The synthesis of dihydromyrcenyl acetate from dihydromyrcene and acetic acid.
[0019] The reaction was carried out using the equipment shown in Figure 3 which comprises
a recirculating system for continuous processing. The equipment includes a catalyst
bed 10 of 14g of Purolite CT 169 (from Purolite) hydrogen ion-exchange resin packed
in a jacketed column 12. Tubing 14 leads from the bottom of column 12 to a modified
wiped film evaporator 16, including a collecting flask 18. Tubing 20 leads from evaporator
16 to a fractionating column 22, ½inch (13mm) in diameter and 350mm high, containing
knitmesh packing (about 7 theoretical plates). A reflux ratio controller 24 is located
at the top of column 22. Tubing 26 leads from reflux controller back to the catalyst
bed, and includes a condenser cooling jacket 28. A sample inlet is provided at 30,
with sample offtakes at 32 and 34. For practical convenience in the laboratory, the
process is carried out at a vacuum of 50mbar, and openings 36, 38 and 42 lead to vacuum
pumps (not shown), with opening 40 leading to a vacuum gauge (not shown). Opening
42 is a liquid vapour lock.
[0020] The reaction is carried out as a continuous process (5-10% conversion) which feeds
into wiped film evaporator 16. Product takeoff is mainly dihydromyrcenyl acetate at
the bottom of the column, while a recycle stream from the top of the column mixes
with the feed, and goes back into the catalyst bed reactor 10.
[0021] Considering matters in more detail, 1:1 (mol/mol) homogenous mixture of dihydromyrcene
(with purity of about 89%) and glacial acetic acid (with purity of 99%+) was made
up in a suitably sized container. This mixture was pumped into inlet 30 for passage
at a rate of 0.4ml/min through the catalyst bed 10 which had been previously packed
into jacket column 12. The temperature in column 12 was held at 15-20°C, by means
of a ethylene glycol circulating bath.
[0022] The effluent that emerged from the bottom of the column was fed via tubing 14 into
modified wiped film evaporator 16, which was held at a temperature of 150°C. The crude
reaction mixture was separated up the fractionating column 22. The reflux ratio controller
was used to achieve a reflux ratio of 1:1. The temperature in the condenser cooling
circuit was held at 5°C. The starting materials (recycle stream) were fed back round
to the top of the catalyst bed 10 and the product (DHMAc) was collected from the bottom
of the evaporator in flask 18. The reaction gives a conversion of 5-10% per pass.
[0023] Typical composition of the product is:
- 92%
- Dihydromyrcenyl acetate,
- 2%
- Dihydromyrcenol,
- 3%
- Cyclademyl acetate,
- 3%
- Dihydromyrcene.
2. The transesterification of dihydromyrcenyl acetate with 4-tertiarybutylcyclohexanol.
[0024] The reaction involved is shown in Figure 2.
Laboratory Procedure
[0025] 468g (3.0mol) PTCHB (26% cis, 65% trans) and 10.6g (0.2mol) solid sodium methoxide
were charged to a 2 litre, 3-necked distillation flask fitted with a nitrogen bleed
and thermometer. The flask was attached to a 1000mm x 50mm fractioning column packed
with stainless 'EX' Sulzer mesh packing and heated under vacuum (20mb) for 0.5hrs
to a pot temperature of 112°C in order to form the PTBCH alkoxide and remove the thus
formed methanol. The still was then allowed to cool to 50°C, brought to atmospheric
pressure and 594g (3.0mol) dihydromyrcenyl acetate (97% pure) added. Vacuum was then
re-applied and the distillative transesterification completed. A summary of the distillation
is given in Table 1.
[0026] The reaction has also been carried out in a pilot plant.
Pilot Plant
[0027] 4-Tertiary-butylcyclohexanol, dihydromyrcenyl acetate and sodium methoxide were charged
to a 100 litre scale distillation unit fitted with a fractionation column and heated
to reflux. A small heads fraction for recycle (0.5% m/m of the charge) was removed
at a reflux ratio of 5:1 (head pressure: 30 mbar, head temperature: 85°C). A second
fraction was removed at a reflux ratio of 5:1, head pressure of 20 mbar and head temperature
of 98°C as dihydromyrcenol product (34.5% m/m of the charge). At this point the head
temperature started to rise and the reflux ratio was changed to 20:1 and a recycle
fraction removed at a head temperature of 120°C (19.0% m/m of the charge). A final
fraction was then removed at total take-off at a head pressure of 10mbar as 4-tertiarybutyl-cyclohexyl
acetate product until the pot temperature rose to 150°C (43.5% m/m of the charge).
Table 1
Product |
Pressure (m bar) |
Head Temp (°C) |
Mass (g) |
Purity % |
Heads |
20 |
<88 |
18.4 |
- |
DHMOL |
20 |
88- 89 |
392.7 |
96.4 |
Inters |
20 |
89-115 |
232.6 |
24.2(DHMOL) |
46.7(PTBCHA) |
PTBCHA |
20 |
115-118 |
272.6 |
98.8 |
Tails |
5 |
100 |
97.1 |
98.7 (PTBCHA) |
Residue |
- |
- |
42.9 |
- |
1. A process for preparing (dihydro)myrcenol comprising reacting a (dihydro)myrcenol
ester with an alcohol in a transesterification reaction to produce (dihydro)myrcenol.
2. A process according up to claim 1, wherein the (dihydro)myrcenyl ester is the acetate.
3. A process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the transesterification
reaction is carried out in the presence of a catalyst, preferably an alkoxide catalyst.
4. A process according to any one of the preceding claims wherein (dihydro)myrcenol or
the product ester are removed from the reaction mixture by distillation.
5. A process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the alcohol is chosen
such that the boiling points of the (dihydro)myrcenol and the ester produced in the
transesterification reaction are at least 2°C apart from each other, and from those
of the starting (dihydro)myrcenyl ester and the starting alcohol at the distillation
pressure.
6. A process according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the transesterification
reaction is carried out below 300°C, preferably below 250°C.
7. A process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the alcohol is 4-tertiarybutylcyclohexanol
or 2-tertiary-butyl-cyclohexanol.
8. A process according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the (dihydro)myrcenyl
ester is produced by reacting (dihydro)myrcene with a carboxylic acid, preferably
acetic acid.
9. A process according to claim 8, wherein the ester-producing reaction is effected in
the presence of a solid catalyst.
10. A process according to claim 9, wherein the solid catalyst is an ion-exchange catalyst.
11. A process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ester-producing
reaction is carried out as a continuous process at a temperature consistent with a
liquid phase reaction, preferably in the range 15-20°C.
12. A process according to any one of claims 8-11, wherein dihydromyrcene is reacted with
acetic acid to produce dihydromyrcenyl acetate, which is then reacted with 4-tertiarybutylcyclohexanol
to produce dihydromyrcenol and 4-tertiarybutylcyclohexyl acetate.